Apostrophe - GCSE English Language Definition

An apostrophe is when a speaker talks directly to someone or something that isn’t present in the story — like an absent person, an object, a place, or even an idea. It’s often used to express strong emotions like love, anger, or sadness. Apostrophes make writing more dramatic and emotional by creating a feeling of personal connection.

Just to note: the word "apostrophe" is also the name for the punctuation mark used to show possession or missing letters, like in "Sarah’s book" or "don’t".

Example of apostrophe from a GCSE text:

In Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Macbeth uses apostrophe when he speaks to an imaginary dagger:
"Is this a dagger which I see before me,
The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee."
Here, Macbeth is speaking to the dagger as if it were a real thing, even though it’s only a vision in his mind. This shows his confusion and growing madness.